When the clocks go back: keeping an autistic child's sleep on track

In the UK, the clocks go back one hour in the early hours of Sunday 25 October 2026. Most of Europe, including Germany, makes the same change on the same night. For many autistic children, even a small shift in the day can unsettle sleep for several nights.

This short note is about planning for that night. The fuller guides are Sleep problems in autistic children: what helps and The sleep connection: how a circadian clock gene links sleep biology to autism.

What the change does

Your child's body clock does not jump when the wall clock does. After the clocks go back, the body runs about one hour ahead of the clock for a few days. The child is often ready for bed earlier by the new clock. Mornings can also bring early waking by the clock, until the body catches up.

Evenings also get dark earlier by the clock. Mornings get light earlier by the clock. Both of those cues matter for children whose sleep is already fragile.

Plan the week before

Start a few days before Sunday, not on the night itself.

• Shift bedtime and wake time later by about 10 to 15 minutes every one or two days, so Sunday lands closer to the new clock.
• Keep the same wind-down steps in the same order: bath, story, lights down, bed.
• Keep morning light. Open the curtains or get outside soon after waking. Light is one of the strongest signals to the body clock.
• Keep daytime exercise, but not right before bed.
• If your child takes melatonin, keep the dose and the gap before bedtime the same unless your doctor has already agreed a change. Do not change the dose on your own because of the clock change.

On the night and the mornings after

Expect a few unsettled nights. That is common and usually settles within a week if the routine stays steady.

• Keep the bedroom the same: dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
• If your child wakes early by the new clock, keep the room dark and quiet. Avoid turning on bright screens.
• Do not add a long daytime nap to "catch up" if that usually pushes bedtime later. A short rest is fine if your child needs it.
• School and nursery mornings may feel harder for a few days. Tell staff you are managing a clock change, not a new sleep problem, if that helps.

When to get help

If sleep was already hard, the clock change can tip things. Go back to the steps in the main sleep post: check pain, constipation, reflux, breathing at night, and anxiety. Speak to your GP or paediatrician if nights stay badly broken for more than about two weeks, or if daytime behaviour or safety is affected.

The circadian gene post explains why sleep in autism is often biological as well as behavioural. That is why a small calendar change can land harder than parents expect, and why steady light, routine, and (when prescribed) melatonin still matter after the clocks move.

Dr Odet Aszkenasy is a Consultant Community Paediatrician and the author of The Genetics of Autism: A Guide for Parents and Professionals.